Nagato pursed his lips and smiled.
He reached out and hugged Shiratori Rin.
"Ding!"
"The System detected Nagato's love value +2000."
"Your companion Cursed Spirit, Rika Orimoto, has increased to Rank 62.9%."
This hug was worth a fortune!
Shiratori Rin released Nagato.
"Since Rin is back today, how about we have a seafood feast tonight?"
Jiraiya shouted excitedly.
"Good!"
Yahiko jumped up and yelled.
Konan and Nagato also nodded happily.
Jiraiya's big hand landed on Shiratori Rin's head, ruffling it vigorously: "Yahiko and the others missed you terribly. You four get along well, I'll go prepare dinner for you!"
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei!"
Shiratori Rin looked up and said to Jiraiya.
Seeing the familiar smile on Shiratori Rin's face, Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that Rin hadn't changed.
Jiraiya patted Shiratori Rin's shoulder: "No need to be so polite with me!"
He strode forward, took a large iron bucket for seafood from the wooden house, carried the bucket, and walked towards the distant shallow beach.
Shiratori Rin was pushed and shoved into Konoha by Yahiko.
They sat down in a tight circle.
Three pairs of eyes stared intently at Shiratori Rin.
Yahiko squirmed excitedly on the tatami mat, his eyes wide, and asked with immense anticipation: "Rin, what have you been doing all this time? Has the war not stopped yet? Have you participated in battles between Ninja?"
Yahiko didn't give Shiratori Rin any time to answer, chattering endlessly.
With each question he asked, his eyes grew brighter.
"Yahiko, you need to give Rin time to answer!"
Konan covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"Oh, right!"
Yahiko scratched the back of his head sheepishly, then grinned widely at Shiratori Rin: "Rin, quickly tell me, what have you been doing all this time?"
"I've been saving people and Cultivating at the same time."
Shiratori Rin spoke truthfully.
"Is there still fighting outside, then?"
Yahiko's eyes widened as he asked nervously.
Shiratori Rin nodded.
He brought new information: "You might not know this, but we are about to sign a contract with Konoha, which means we are going to stop fighting Konoha!"
Currently, under Hanzo's deliberate actions, this news had already spread throughout the Ninja World.
Yahiko and the others lived in a secluded wooden house by the sea, so they might not have received this news yet.
"Really?"
Just as Shiratori Rin expected, Yahiko and the others knew nothing.
Upon hearing this news, Yahiko jumped up excitedly.
"That's great!"
Yahiko had only one thought in his mind: the Land of Rain was about to usher in peace!
They would no longer have to live as difficult a life as before!
"Rin, how did you know this news?"
Konan hugged her knees, looking at Shiratori Rin curiously.
Shiratori Rin smiled at her: "It's already spread everywhere outside."
Konan breathed a sigh of relief, a smile also appearing on her face: "So that's how it is!"
Yahiko's cheers suddenly stopped, and he sat down on the floor in disappointment: "So it's just rumors from outside. News from outside has no credibility at all. They said they would stop fighting a long time ago, but the war hasn't stopped until now..."
"No, it's not," Shiratori Rin shook his head at Yahiko, and he earnestly explained to the three of them: "This news is credible. Lord Hanzo said it himself."
Yahiko was stunned, looking at Shiratori Rin blankly, and opened his mouth: "Rin, how do you know Hanzo said it himself?"
Konan's heart leaped into her throat. She looked at Rin nervously, afraid of what terrible words might come out of Rin's mouth.
"I've been working by Lord Hanzo's side. This is news I heard with my own ears."
Shiratori Rin said, looking at Yahiko.
Flames suddenly shot up in Yahiko's eyes. He leaped up and yelled at Shiratori Rin: "How can you be by Hanzo's side? Don't you know who turned the Land of Rain into what it is now? It's Hanzo! He started the war! He caused us to become orphans..."
"Ding!"
"The System detected Yahiko's anger value +5000."
"The Cursed Spirit activation value has not been reached. Anger value has been stored."
"Yahiko..."
Konan was startled by the enraged Yahiko and called out tremblingly.
Unfortunately, Yahiko couldn't hear anything now.
He stared at Shiratori Rin, Shiratori Rin's words constantly echoing in his mind.
Shiratori Rin stood up, looked at Yahiko sternly, and reprimanded: "Yahiko, I won't allow you to speak of Lord Hanzo like that! You don't understand anything at all! Lord Hanzo is not what you say he is..."
"Ding!"
"The System detected Yahiko's anger value +8000."
"A total of 16000 anger points have been collected. Activating Cursed Spirit Jogo."
"Jogo (16%)"
"Rin! Shiratori Rin! How could you say that about me for Hanzo's sake! Is Hanzo more important to you than me? More important than Nagato and Konan? Hanzo is a fanatic who only knows how to wage war! He killed your family! He killed our family! And now you're defending him?"
Yahiko was like an angry young bull, his chest heaving violently, his words coming out in a rapid-fire torrent.
"You're too agitated!"
Shiratori Rin looked at Yahiko, his voice overpowering him, "You've misunderstood Lord Hanzo! You only want to immerse yourself in your own fantasies!"
"Ding!"
"The System detected Yahiko's pain value +5000."
"The Cursed Spirit activation value has not been reached. Pain value has been stored."
Pain value?
Shiratori Rin looked at Yahiko in front of him. Did Yahiko feel pain because of him?
"Shiratori Rin! You've changed! You've become Hanzo's lackey! I don't want to see you!"
Yahiko let out a sharp roar.
"Ding!"
"The System detected Yahiko's anger value +4000."
"Your Cursed Spirit Jogo has increased to Rank 20%."
Nagato and Konan stood up, their gazes darting back and forth between the fiercely arguing Shiratori Rin and Yahiko, feeling helpless.
Shiratori Rin looked at Yahiko, his voice lowering: "You will understand Lord Hanzo one day, Yahiko."
"Don't you dare mention him in front of me!"
Yahiko's eyes were red, staring fixedly at Shiratori Rin.
Shiratori Rin took a step back, watching him with disappointment: "Yahiko, we can't communicate right now. You'll understand later."
He turned and walked towards the wooden house door, just as he bumped into Jiraiya, who was returning with a full load.
Jiraiya looked at Rin, who was rushing out of the room, in confusion: "Huh? Rin? Where are you going?"
"Jiraiya-sensei, I still have things to do, so I'll be leaving first."
Shiratori Rin bowed to Jiraiya: "My apologies."
"Ding!"
"The System detected Yahiko's pain value +5000."
"A total of 10000 pain points have been collected. Activating Cursed Spirit 007 - Living Cursed Object Kenjaku."
"Kenjaku (10%)"